Yule logs, or Bûche de Noël, are popular cakes in France and with good reason: they are delicious and a feast for the eyes as well as the belly. This jelly roll-style sponge cake is combined with a creamy filling and topped with frosting and other goodies to look like a tree in nature. We'll show you easy ways to make this holiday treat as beautiful and festive as it is tasty!

After seeing this gorgeous vegan yule log, I couldn't help but be moved to make one for a holiday party -- and it was a huge hit! I adapted my recipe so that the cake would be a simple vanilla cake with just a touch of cocoa powder. My modified filling is extra creamy and decadent, and I made a half-recipe of a favorite vegan chocolate buttercream for decorating the cake in lieu of a ganache. Take inspiration from around the web and let kids have a hand at making edible decorations as well. Read on for a decadent vegan holiday dessert that will have your guests oohing and aahing... and happily patting their tummies! Or find one-page, printable directions here.

1. Gather the ingredients.

For the cake:

1 cup cake flour*

1 Tbsp cocoa powder

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 cup non-dairy milk

1 cup sugar

4 1/2 tsp EnerG Egg Replacer mixed well with 6 Tbsp warm water

1 tsp vanilla extract

powdered sugar for sprinkling

For the filling:

1 8oz container vegan cream cheese

1/2 cup vegan margarine, such as Earth Balance

2 Tbsp almond milk or other non-dairy milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups powdered sugar

For the frosting:

1/8 cup vegan margarine

1/8 cup vegan shortening

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 1/2 tbsp non-dairy milk

1 1/4 cups powdered sugar

3/4 tsp vanilla extract

For decorating:

powdered sugar

marzipan

Any other decorative elements (edible or non!)

*To make 1 cup cake flour if you don’t have some on hand, put 2 Tbsp cornstarch in the bottom of a 1 cup measuring cup. Fill the rest with regular flour. Mix well when added to bowl with other ingredients.

2. Make and bake the cake.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Put a few streaks of Earth Balance or whatever vegan margarine you are using on a 15x10x1-inch jelly-roll pan. This will hold your parchment paper in place. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper; “butter” parchment. Whisk first 6 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Heat non-dairy milk in medium saucepan over medium heat to 150°F. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and egg replacer in large bowl until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Beat in flour mixture until just blended. Gradually beat in warm milk. Pour batter into pan and spread as needed so it is even throughout the pan. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 10 minutes. Spread kitchen towel on work surface; cover with parchment. Sprinkle parchment lightly with powdered sugar. Run knife around edge of pan to loosen cake. Invert hot cake onto parchment. Peel parchment off top of cake.

3. Roll up cake.

Starting at one long side and using towel as aid, gently roll up cake jelly-roll style. Cool. Because the cake is thin and spongy-you don’t want it sitting out for hours and hours unfilled and unfrosted. If you are making it hours in advance, I would recommend wrapping it up in plastic wrap or covering it to prevent it from drying out.

4. Prepare the filling.

Using an electric mixer, cream the vegan cream cheese and margarine together. Add the non-dairy milk and vanilla extract. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth and creamy. Cover and chill about 45 minutes. This frosting will remain creamy and gooey, but should firm up a bit.